About this trip

If you've dreamt of exploring Patagonia by trail running while staying at a combination of comfortable and scenic hotels and unique Argentinian refugios, or mountain lodges, this is the trip for you. Throughout the trip, we'll leave tour buses and crowds behind in order to facilitate pristine Patagonian trail running adventures on this running retreat.

Our guided trail running trip will start in El Calafate, where we will begin our adventure with a visit Patagonia’s most famous glacier and one of the world's only advancing glaciers. We’ll get up close and personal to El Perito Moreño with some ice trekking on the glacier! We'll then explore further south to the Refugio Circuit outside of the legendary town of El Chaltén, home to Monte Fitzroy, Cerro Torre, craft breweries, pristine lakes, glaciers, rivers, grasslands, and some of the world's most spectacular mountain vistas. Our curated hotels offer the comforts of spa services, organic farm-to-table dinners, and breathtaking lake and mountain views. In between we'll trail run through Los Glaciares National Park and visit unique Argentinian mountain lodges and private nature reserves. We'll trail run from these base camps, where where vistas of mountain spires, glaciers, and remote lakes are enjoyed with mate, homemade pizza, typical Argentinian parrillas of roasted meat, ample Malbec, and artisanal beer brewed with special character and history unique to each location. Possible wildlife sightings range from Huemul (patagonian deer) to Condors and Pumas.

This running retreat is the perfect mixture of comfort and exploring the uncrowded, off-the-beaten path trails of some of Patagonia's most spectacular sites. On this guided trail running tour with all logistics, lodging, and transport taken care of, enjoy a break from winter and enjoy a Patagonian summer on our running retreat.

This running retreat adventure is open to ages 15 and up of any pace or level of runner. Must be able to complete 7-15 miles/day of hiking/running, including 1,000-3,500 feet of elevation gain per day. Optional 12-week training package available from an experienced running coach to ensure you're trained and ready to go for this adventure of a lifetime!

***We are also offering this trip Dec 29-Jan 5, 2020 over New Year's. Please visit the retreat host's profile on WeTravel to see more offerings!***

Not included

Before You Go

Must have a valid passport valid through 6 months upon date of travel.

Travel Insurance:

Must have travel insurance prior to start of trip.

Room info at the Refugios/Eco Lodge:

This is high season in Patagonia. Rooms are FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. If you are inclined to participate, book or contact the organizer ASAP as rooms will book up in advance by other vacationers.

Fitness/Pacing:

While there are guides to accommodate every pace of attending runner, this trip requires participants to be able to run/hike for 7-15 miles on trails at a time in mountainous climates with an elevation gain of 1,000-3,500 feet per day. Training for this trip is essential in order to be able to complete and enjoy the trip. It is highly recommended that you participate in the 12-week group training program designed specifically for this trip as a package add-on to ensure you're able to tackle the trails and get maximum enjoyment of this running retreat!

Weather:

Although this time of year is summer/fall in Patagonia, weather in the mountains, in Patagonia in particular, is variable and trail conditions are subject to change on an hourly basis! Patagonia is renown for its wind and changing weather in particular. Routes and itinerary subjective to change based on the safety of conditions and climate of the trail at the time of the trip. Please pack layers and options for multiple climates accordingly (a detailed packing list will be sent upon registration).

Available options

Itinerary

Welcome to Patagonia!

Welcome to Patagonia!

Day 1

Day 1: Our trip will start midday with a meet-and-greet and orientation meeting to meet the guides and go over the logistics and itinerary of the upcoming week! After meeting at the airport at the scheduled departure time, we'll catch transport to our , comfortable 4-star hotel that sites lakeside with a view of Argentina's largest freshwater lake, Lago Argentina. That afternoon, we’ll enjoy dinner and refreshments to go over the week ahead.

Day 2: After a quick optional morning shakeout run, we'll return to a breakfast spread of homemade Argentinian jams, coffees, teas and baked goods. Our day's adventure will take us to a mini trekking tour of the Perito Moreño Glacier, one of the highlights of Argentinian Patagonia and one of the world's only advancing glaciers. This spectacular glacier spans approximately 252 square km – 30 kilometers in length, about 5 km wide, and from the water to the top of the glacier the average height is a 73 meters! It is fed by the Southern Patagonia Ice Field and we'll get the chance to see some glacier calving before a mini trek on the ice itself! We'll enjoy private transport and a guided tour on the glacier, where we'll get up close and personal with a knowledgable guide and catered lunch. Afterwards, we'll return for dinner to celebrate our final evening in El Calafate.

Day 3: Today we wake up for a final morning at our 4-star lakeside hotel and set off for El Chaltén, one of Patagonia's most spectacular mountain towns. After views of mountains roll by on the Patagonian highway, we check in to our comfortable and private scenic cabañas, a staple of Argentinian Patagonia, before setting off for an afternoon adventure run straight from our front door. We'll head up following a trail alongside the river of the valley as views begin to unfold of Cerro Solo, the Adela range, Cerro Torre and the Mount Fitzroy. That evening you're free to explore the restaurants in town, or sip a glass of Malbec and watch the golden hour over the nearby mountains. 11.8 miles, 1,000 feet elevation gain

Day 4: After a spread of a delicious breakfasts of granola, yogurt, juices, homemade breads and eggs, we’ll head out on another adventure run for the day. The trail starts in the lower, rocky hills and shrublands with views of Cerro Torre and Fitzroy. We'll wind through a forest of lenga, turning beautiful autumnal colors, before our steepest climb of the trip. From the summit you can see both Cerro Torre and Fitzroy to the north and the Rio Tunel Valley to the south. For those wanting a rest day, you’re welcome to skip the run and take a short hike to a nearby lagoon, or explore town. Treat yourself to an artesanal aprés at a famous cerveceria, or brewery in town, before enjoying a meal of tender Argentinian steaks, fresh trout from the local Lago del Desierto, and Malbec glasses as big as your head. 12 miles, 3,200 feet elevation gain

Day 5: After another delicious breakfast at our cabañas, we’ll head out the front door to an epic three days of adventuring off-the-beaten path trails into the Patagonian wilderness. We'll enjoy a relaxing pace of run/hiking, with plenty of time to stop and admire the settings as we carve through mountains, passing waterfalls, rivers, and alpine lakes. We'll arrive to our comfortable mountain lodge sitting alongside a alpine lake and glacier on a private nature reserve with 13,000 acres of forests,

ice, lakes and rivers. Baggage transport is included, so you only need to carry some hydration and a camera to capture the views of today! Afternoon activities are plentiful, ranging from exploring the estancia, exploring nearby mountain lagoons and vistas, or relaxing in the tranquil setting of our home for the evening. We’ll enjoy a local and nutritious Argentinian Patagonian meal mountainside with our hosts for the evening! 11.5 miles, 1,200 feet elevation gain

Day 6: After breakfast at the lodge, we’ll continue to head deeper into Los Glaciares National Park. Our destination is trail alongside the Eléctrico valley to catch views of the north face of the Mount Chaltén and the Mermoz and Guillaumet needles. On the way back we'll stop for a break, lunch, and refreshments at a unique Argentinian refugio before returning to our mountain lodge for a celebratory dinner at our final night in this paradise. Optional afternoon tours of an estancia or tango show from local artists are possible! Mileage options from 7-11 miles. 800 feet elevation gain.

Day 7: After waking up for a sunrise from our mountain lodge, we’ll hit the trails for our longest day on the trails as we wind back towards El Chaltén, passing as many lakes as we can, including the legendary Lago de Los Tres with a front and center view to Monte Fitzroy. We'll stop for snacks and photo ops and enjoy our final day on the trails in Patagonia. We'll return to enjoy a final celebratory dinner in town! 14.9 miles, 2,900 feet elevation gain

Day 1: Our trip will start midday with a meet-and-greet and orientation meeting to meet the guides and go over the logistics and itinerary of the upcoming week! After meeting at the airport at the scheduled departure time, we'll catch transport to our , comfortable 4-star hotel that sites lakeside with a view of Argentina's largest freshwater lake, Lago Argentina. That afternoon, we’ll enjoy dinner and refreshments to go over the week ahead.

Your Organizer

Runcation Travel creates international running adventures for runners. Instead of having to squeeze in a run on vacation, your run becomes the vehicle for exploring a new country, new culture, and a new landscape. Our current runcations and trail running trips include hut-to-hut running adventures, retreats, high altitude training camps, and guided trail tours of the best trail running in the Italian Dolomites, Chamonix Mont Blanc, and Argentinian Patagonia in group and custom itineraries. Our Runcations are for every level of runner.

Reviews

I had a wonderful trip! The Dolomites were the perfect location for a trail running vacation, and Liz picked a wonderful route for us! The refugios were fantastic, comfortable lodging with great food and drink. I would highly recommend this trip!

Hands down the best vacation I've ever taken. The Dolomites were spectacular, and Liz did a great job ensuring people of all abilities had a wonderful time. The group was the perfect size - and we all got along great! The food at the Refugios was great and the wine and company was even better. I absolutely loved this trip and would recommend it to anyone!

This trip was hands down the coolest and most awesome thing I have ever done. Liz Gill is a rockstar. I couldn't have imagined a better guide to lead this trip of a lifetime. The breathtaking beauty of the Dolomites cannot be properly captured by photographs which means you must go and see it for yourself! There is no one better than Liz Gill to take you!

I'm still riding a high from this trip. I'm so thankful for our organizer, Liz, who is a logistical genius. Because everything was planned and ready to go long before we began our trek, I was able to be entirely present for the duration of our journey. When you're hiking or running through the Dolomites and staying in unique, culture-rich refugios every night, the ability to "take it all in" is of utmost importance. In addition to gaining new perspectives on both culture and adventure, I gained something much more valuable--a new appreciation for the beauty of friendship and community. You just can't put a price on that!